Karachi, with a population of more than 25 million people, is home to some of the most hospitable people, unless you’re in 9-0. Or Lyari. You get the point.
Being the most populous city in the land allows Karachi to be host to a wide range of traditions, diverse cultures, and hundreds of different languages. One of Karachi’s highlights, apart from all the dehshatgardi you see associated with it on TV, is its ability to feed its people what they crave most, regardless of the place, price, or cuisine.
In simpler terms, Karachi offers you to experience both sasti chatkharaydaar delicacies and costly abroad-wali cuisines. However, once you know you’re heading out for lunch or dinner, and you know it’s on someone else’s wallet, make sure you head out to at least one of the following restaurants!
Editor’s note: This is not an endorsement of any restaurant just a suggestion for you if your friend is treating you 😉
1. Okra
With expertise in Mediterranean, Okra is one of the pioneers of fine-dining in Karachi. With a simple yet warm interior coupled with beautifully crafted, delicious food, which includes the most delectable Halumi bites, grilled calamari, crisp salads, and the most succulent lamb chops, Okra provides its customers with a culinary experience equivalent to that of some of the best Michelin-star restaurants of the world!
2. Pompei Restaurant
Opened in 2004, the restaurant provides hearty portions of dishes prepared with the best imported meats and seafood, while the signature brick oven-baked thin crust pizzas are something to make you salivate! The restaurant is located in the beautifully peaceful premises of what used to be the famous old Railways Club.
3. Café Aylanto
One of Karachi’s premium restaurants, Café Aylanto offers a wide range of Mediterranean, European, and Asian dishes, in a brilliant, pleasantly modern ambience.
4. Café Flo
La cuisine française (or French cuisine) has a difficult taste to adapt for the average Pakistani taste buds – which makes Café Flo all the more special. From the warm French décor to the lip-smackingly delicious food, Café Flo offers a wide range of delectable delicacies. Lunch? Dinner? That too on someone else’s wallet? Yes please.
5. Sakura
Karachi’s most-loved spot for traditional Japanese cuisine. Home to the most delicious Japanese food in Karachi, the restaurant features an open-kitchen, for fresh sushi and sashimi, while the the live Teppanyaki tables add an oriental mix to the already pleasant ambience.
6. Tao
A new addition to the bulging gastronomic contour of Karachi, Tao provides its customers with a retreat into the perfectly wild world of oriental cuisine. Be it lunch or dinner, the perfect blend of flavor, spice, and texture of the wonderfully-crafted food, coupled with the warm ambience, allows for a memorable experience for Asian cuisine lovers.
7. Dynasty
Situated in the pleasant premises of one of the city’s premium hotels, the Avari Towers, Dynasty is the home to the widest range of Chinese foods available in the country! Be it a business lunch, a casual meet-up with old pals, or a romantic dinner-for-two, Dynasty is the place to be to burn out your Chinese hunger.8. Jason’s Steak House
From succulent beef steaks to the warm 1940’s-themed well-lit interior, the Chicago-styled Jason’s Steak House is home to some of the best steaks Karachi has to offer. Made with specially-imported beef, these hearty pieces of meaty goodness are something that perfectly cater to your flesh cravings and hunger spasms.
9. Orrery
Orrery – literal meaning ‘a clockwork model of of the solar system’ – has a fine dining world of its own. With three styles of dining under one roof – the Estrela, Cafe Ocoa, and O’grill – the place is always buzzing with excitement and hearty conversations. Estrela serves up customers with brilliant Mediterranean cuisine, while O’Grill churns up the appetite by providing a wide range of delicious barbecued food, and the Cafe Ocoa finishes it all up with hot coffee delights.
10. The Patio
Known for its elegant and modern interior, and a comfortable ambience, The Patio’s menu is a blend of Indian-Pakistani and Pan-Asian foods. The Prawn Laksa, Spicy Aromatic Coconut Soup with Vermicelli, Noodles and Mushrooms, Paneer Kalimiri, Barbecued Brochettes of Fresh Paneer & Mushrooms in a Crushed Peppercorn & Yogurt Marinade are some of the absolute must-haves if you ever step foot in Karachi.
If you’re in Karachi and going out on SOMEONE ELSE’S WALLET, go visit these places like your life depends on it (because your wallet doesn’t).
